SALEM — Twenty people were additionally arrested in connection with a large-scale drug investigation this week, which yielded three previous arrests and $100,000 worth of suspected cocaine — along with weapons and other drug paraphernalia, authorities said.

According to the Salem County Prosecutor’s Office, after hours of information gathering by way of undercover police officers and street surveillance, authorities were able to file charges on 20 additional suspects believed to be incorporated within the drug distribution network.

The suspects were arrested Thursday morning, which added the final piece of a large scale drug investigation that began earlier this week, and put a substantial dent in the drug distribution networks within the city, authorities said.

Authorities said Bentley was allegedly observed conducting numerous narcotics related transactions in various areas of the county.

Additionally, undercover officers were able to purchase drugs within the distribution network and conducted hours of street surveillance, which led to the additional arrests, officials said.

Participating in the roundup Thursday, as well as in other aspects of the investigation, were law enforcement officers from the Salem County Prosecutor’s Office, Salem County Sheriff’s Office, Salem City Police, Carneys Point Police, Lower Alloways Creek Police, New Jersey State Police, the state police TEAMS unit, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and members of the FBI South Jersey Violent Offender and Gang Task Force.

“The success of the operation was a result of the cooperation and collaboration of multiple agencies,” said Salem County Prosecutor John T. Lenahan. “This was a task force composed of many officers from different agencies who worked extremely well together.”

The investigation lasted several months and led to one of the largest seizures of cocaine in Salem City in the past decade.

“The results of this investigation were a text book example of collective federal, state, and local law enforcement efforts and resources dedicated to ridding Salem County of a violent criminal drug-trafficking organization infecting the community’s quality of life,” said Robert Koval, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA New Jersey Division.

“As a result of this joint law enforcement investigation, Bentley’s drug trafficking organization can no longer distribute significant quantities of dangerous drugs on the streets of Salem County.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge George C. Venizelos added, “This investigation represents the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies at all levels working together. We are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our partners in South Jersey to help rid our communities of the scourge of illegal drugs.”

The following is a list of the 20 people arrested Thursday, along with their alleged charges and bail amounts: